Get the lowdown on our next opponents: Carlisle United.
The Opposition
The closest professional team to Scotland, Carlisle United find themselves in the fifth tier after more than two decades in the EFL, dating back to the 2003/04 season when they were last relegated to the Conference from the Third Division.
A dismal run of form last term brought the dismissal of former Gateshead and MK Dons boss Mike Williamson, who was replaced by former Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City and Stoke City gaffer Mark Hughes. A man who has previously managed in the Premier League and guided the Potters to three successive top half finishes, ‘Sparky’ was unable to prevent Carlisle’s slide into non-league via back-to-back relegations.
The likes of Cameron Harper, Gabriel Breeze, Terell Thomas and Kadeem Harris were all regular figures throughout the 2024/25 campaign, although the Blues have had to contend with the departure of Sam Lavelle, who played more games than anyone else last term, along with the experienced Josh Vela and top scorer Matthew Dennis, who has joined Notts County.
However, Carlisle have already invested in the transfer market, bringing Altrincham top scorer Regan Linney to Brunton Park, and was joined in the door by former U David Ajiboye along with Morgan Feeney, Sam Murray and Junior Luamba from Shrewsbury Town, Manchester United and Salford City respectively, alongside Bevis Mugabi who arrived from Cypriot side Anorthosis.
Sutton last met the Cumbria-based side on the final day of the 2022/23 season, with Kylian Kouassi’s early opener being cancelled out by a late Joe Kizzi own goal to end the campaign with a 1-1 draw, with Carlisle securing a fifth place finish before going on to win the League Two Play-Offs the following month with a 5-4 penalty shootout victory against Stockport County.
The Manager
Mark Hughes
Carlisle appointed former Stoke City boss Mark Hughes in February 2025, bringing in a man with Premier League pedigree during an overall dismal campaign in League Two.
Nicknamed ‘Sparky’, Hughes came through the ranks at Manchester United as a player and went on to appear 467 times for the Red Devils, scoring 163 goals across two spells, and was regarded as one of the top strikers in Europe during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The former Wales international can also name FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich on his list of clubs, before ending his playing career with spells at Chelsea, Southampton, Everton and Blackburn Rovers.
The 61-year old transitioned into management with a five-year spell in charge of Wales, where he revitalised the team and came close to qualifying for Euro 2004. He then made the move into club management, impressing at former club Blackburn between 2004 and 2008, where he built a resilient side that reached an FA Cup semi-final and qualified for Europe.
A high-profile move to Manchester City followed in 2008, but ended abruptly after the Sheikh Mansour takeover at the Etihad Stadium, and led to his departure in favour of Roberto Mancini.
He later managed Fulham, Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City, becoming notably at the latter when he guided the Potters to successive ninth place finishes in the Premier League, but an underwhelming start to the 2017/18 season led to his dismissal midway through the campaign.
Hughes later took charge of Southampton in March 2018 and secured the Saints’ Premier League status, before signing a three-year deal in the summer. However, Southampton made a poor start to the 2018/19 season and was replaced by Ralph Hasenhüttl, before spending a little over four years out of the game.
Hughes returned to management in February 2022, taking charge of his first club outside the Premier League when he took over at Bradford City, although he was dismissed 20 months later.
He ended up spending another 16 months without club, but again ended an extended spell away from the game by taking over Carlisle United, who were relegated at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Despite this, he opted to remain in charge at Brunton Park ahead of a campaign in the National League, and currently has them third in the division after an unbeaten opening six games, including a 5-0 demolition of Braintree Town last time out.
Photo Credit: Carlisle United Football Club
One to Watch
Regan Linney
Carlisle signalled their intent after relegation with the signing of Altrincham hotshot Regan Linney, securing the services of the division’s second highest scorer last season.
Preston-born, Linney began his career at Bamber Bridge, where, after being fast-tracked through the Academy ranks, he broke into the first team at 17 years old.
He joined FC United of Manchester at the beginning of July 2019 and immediately hit the ground running as a bustling centre-forward with a flair for taking defenders on and an unerring eye for goal.
Altrincham had been monitoring the centre forward’s unstoppable form on a regular basis and secured the signature of a player who has been consistently lethal in his four seasons at Broadhurst Park, before stepping up in the National League as Alty’s main man, scoring 23 goals last term, bettered only by York City’s Ollie Pearce (31).
A highly sought-after figure, Linney opted to join relegated side Carlisle in the summer, and has already scored five times during a positive start to life in Cumbria, including a hat-trick in the Blues’ midweek victory over Braintree Town.
Photo Credit: Carlisle United Football Club
Recent Form
Carlisle United 5-0 Braintree Town
Wealdstone 0-1 Carlisle United
Carlisle United 1-1 Solihull Moors
Carlisle United 3-3 Boreham Wood
Woking 0-2 Carlisle United
Motherwell 1-0 Carlisle United (Pre-Season)
Last Time Out
Carlisle United put on a five-star display against Braintree Town, as a Regan Linney hat-trick fired the Blues to their second win in three days.
Linney made no mistake on 14 minutes when he opened the scoring, firing Stephen Wearne’s pinpoint pass into the back of the net to put United ahead, and the Blues’ day got even better just 14 minutes later as a George Langston own-goal doubled their advantage. Linney’s pinpoint ball into the 18-yard box found Luke Armstrong, and his ball across goal was diverted into the back of the net by the defender.
Linney then added to his tally on 53 minutes as he calmly slotted his penalty into the bottom right corner to put Carlisle 3-0 up, after Callum Whelan was tripped in the box and the referee awarded United a penalty.
The day then got even better for the man of the moment on 65 minutes, when he flicked Cameron Harper’s in-swinging corner into the back of the net, after a darting run to the front post.
United got their fifth of the afternoon on 80 minutes when Jack Ellis nodded Archie Davies’ corner past the ’keeper into the bottom left corner, bringing an end to a stellar afternoon for the Blues at Brunton Park.
